Monochromatic Gardens July 27, 2014

Monochromatic color palettes are a growing trend in gardening and for good reasons. Varying hues of one color family is visually compelling and it simplifies the design process. You can’t go wrong because all the colors are guaranteed to work together.

Design Tips

A monochromatic palette is one that uses flowers and foliage all in one color family. That’s not to mean that other colors aren’t used as well. After all it’s hard to avoid green in the garden. Use greens, grays and variegated foliage as neutral colors. They will act as a backdrop, give a place for the eye to rest and add dimension.

And speaking of dimension, when using one family of color it is more important than ever to vary the shapes, textures and sizes of plants to avoid a flat composition.

When deciding on a color, consider the amount of sunlight in the area. Pastel colors are great for shade while bright, saturated colors will hold their color in sun.

As with any garden design make sure your chosen plants’ growing requirements – light, soil, moisture – are suited to the environment.

3 Monochromatic Container Designs

Containers are a fun way to use monochromatic designs because the possibilities are endless. Here are three combinations from Proven Winners®. To see more container recipes like these visit their website at www.ProvenWinners.com.

Plants

Below are a few plant suggestions to get you started on your monochromatic designs. I’ve listed annuals, perennials and even a few shrubs. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Once you decide on the predominate color you’ll find that there are all kinds of flowers and foliage from which to choose.

Lemon Symphony Osteospermum – Annual, Sun to Partial Shade, 8 – 14 inches tall Daisy-like flower heads on tall, mounding vigorous plants. Because it is frost tolerant it can be used as a season extender for spring and fall.